To Have Courage
by Amelia Bennett
Summary: Harvey is desperately in love with his wife. Out of every man in the valley, he was lucky enough to marry her. Despite his anxieties, Ella chose to love him. When disaster strikes, will Harvey be able to overcome his fears and have the courage to step up and save the day?
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own/am not affiliated with Stardew Valley.**

To Have Courage

The day began as any other. Harvey awoke to find himself alone in the bed. Ella's place on the mattress was still warm. He lay still for a moment and listened to the quiet sounds coming from the kitchen. He could smell the coffee she was making and smiled, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

Harvey's life had always contained a steady routine, and he liked it that way. Even his marriage was relatively predictable, and the couple had fallen into common, yet comfortable dialogue for mornings.

"Oh, I didn't wake you, did I?" She asked, as she did every day when he entered the kitchen.

"No." He replied softly.

"Good." She handed him his coffee with a slightly bemused smile. "Here you are."

"Thank you, Dear." He said, leaning down to peck her quickly on the cheek. He brought the coffee to his lips and immediately jerked back. "W-what is this?"

Ella respected his need for routine, loved it even. She herself had a need for it every day on the farm. Still, she found it deeply entertaining to throw him off occasionally. That particular morning, it was by tampering with his coffee.

"I put a little bit of hazelnut in there. I picked it fresh yesterday. What do you think?"

As much as he hated any variation, Harvey had to admit he enjoyed the additional flavor. "It's not bad." He grumbled, and was rewarded with her laughter. It was infectious, and he found himself grinning down at her.

"What's the plan today?" He asked, as he did every morning.

"Well, the typical things on the farm. I have to tend to the animals and make sure the sprinklers watered the plants enough. I was going to buy a heater for the chickens today, but Marnie's will be closed. So I think I'll go down in the mines instead."

At that last bit, a tiny little knot formed in the pit of Harvey's stomach. It rolled and twisted painfully, and made his next question come out whinier than he'd intended. "The mines? Do you have to?"

She gave a knowing smile. "Harvey," She said, as though speaking to a child that had misbehaved, "We could really use the money. Winter's on its way, and we always lose a little income when we don't have the crops."

"We won't lose that much. It's only the two of us to the house, how much do we really need?"

She shifted uncomfortably at his words. "R-right. I've actually got to talk to you about something."

He glanced at his watch. "Shoot, can it wait? I don't want to be late for clinic, I have an appointment with George today." Ella nodded, biting her lip as he grabbed his coat off the wall. He kissed her goodbye and paused on the way out. "I've not talked you out of going down that mine at all, have I?"

"Nope." She fixed him with her sweetest possible smile. "I've almost reached the bottom, and I'm not giving up."

Harvey shook his head and closed the door behind him. No matter what she was doing, Ella would throw herself into things. She had a certain pulse for life that Harvey secretly admired and envied. On that morning as he walked to work, he thought only of her, as he did every other day.

It was still a marvel to him as to how he'd been so lucky. When she'd arrived two years ago he'd honestly found her quite intimidating.

 _The first time he saw her she was walking into town with the sort of purpose and confidence Harvey had never possessed once in his life. She was beautiful, obviously, and beautiful women were typically very hard to talk to, except she had marched right up to him. Her pale blonde hair was tied back in a simple ponytail and as she approached Harvey found himself counting the freckles that dotted the bridge of her nose._

" _Hello." She said, smiling and sticking out her hand. "I'm Ella."_

" _Harvey." He'd replied, taking her hand in his own trembling one. "I-I'm the town Doctor. You should wash your hands after shaking hands. Germs." He had wanted to slap himself in the face for that one, but she'd laughed._

" _I'll remember that. Although you're probably in more danger, I've been digging around on the property all morning. That reminds me, where would I go to buy seeds?"_

" _Pierre's." He'd said, without hesitation. "It's cheaper to go to the JojaMart, but Pierre runs his own business and"-_

" _Say no more. I'd rather support a local than go anywhere near a JojaMart." She chuckled, as though it was her own private joke. It was before he was aware she had worked there. "Thank you. Harvey, right?"_

 _He swallowed thickly. "Y-yeah."_

 _Ella smiled, her blue eyes lighting up. "I hope to see you around."_

Harvey had watched her go, entranced. In the following months he did everything he could to see her more. He would go to the Saloon as often as possible, he would walk by her property early in the morning. Every time they spoke she was kind and generous, and she listened attentively to everything he had to say.

She gave her opinion honestly, but gently. Somehow she had managed to gain George's trust, and encouraged him to work harder on his health. Even Shane had warmed enough to her that she convinced him to help see a therapist. Everyone loved her, and Harvey was privately smitten.

He was slightly older than the other bachelors around the valley, and excruciatingly dull. He was not athletic like Alex, articulate like Elliot, musical like Sam, mysterious like Sebastian or interesting like Shane. Still, he couldn't help himself from being totally head-over-heels for her. He knew he was deluding himself.

But then she'd showed up for a check-up.

 _He'd sat her down and gone over everything. She seemed healthy and normal, and he got out his stethoscope. She unbuttoned her denim work shirt enough for him to place it just under her collarbone. He tried to relax, his own heartbeat was going wild at their proximity, but then he realized hers was awfully quick._

" _Y-your pulse is a bit high." He said, drawing back to survey her face. She averted her gaze as quickly as possible, odd for Ella._

" _I'm just a bit nervous." That had thrown him. He didn't think she was scared of anything._

" _Oh! Hospitals make you nervous huh? Just try and relax. I'm here to help."_

" _I know you are. It's not that I don't like hospitals. I"- She looked at him, and he noticed her pupils were dilated slightly, her face flushed. "I should go." She grabbed her things and dashed out of his office. He initially tried to brush the whole incident off, but it kept bothering him. She'd been in the clinic many times before that and had been fine. She had acted totally normal up until he got so close to her. Whereas before that day he had been convinced any idea of her loving him back was a delusion, Harvey allowed himself to hope._

After that they only grew closer. They watched planes pass through the sky outside his apartment and talked about their dreams. He realized that it was good to have new dreams, and maybe she was his.

The hot air balloon gesture was the most frightening thing that he had ever done, but it had paid off. He had not been brave, but she had enough courage for the two of them. They got married in the fall of her second year in Stardew Valley. He still couldn't believe it.

"Good morning Harvey!" Maru greeted him as he entered the clinic. "How are you?"

"Excellent. How's the invention coming along?"

"Slowly." She sighed. "Better than nothing I suppose."

"Of course! Progress is progress, no matter how small."

Harvey went into his office and sat at the desk. The knot in his stomach was persistent and swollen in size. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Every time the door opened he jumped, expecting some kind of emergency. However, the day passed normally in the clinic. He had a few patients, including George. The old man was doing more for his health since Ella's intervention two years ago, and his vitals had shot up.

"Well, I have to say you're doing great George. How are you feeling?" He immediately regretted the question.

"It's that blasted cold that's coming in, Doc. It'll get me long before my age does."

"Yes, well a little cold won't kill you. How's Evelyn? She hasn't been in for some time."

"Oh always outdoors, that woman. Happy to tend to every little living thing."

"You two are so opposite, sometimes I wonder how you got together in the first place."

George actually laughed at that, a loud and dry sound that shocked the Doctor. "Me too, Doc. Marriage is about sacrifice. Evelyn must have made millions for me over the years, and I try hard to repay her every day."

Harvey smiled, thinking again of his own wife. His stomach lurched and he winced.

"You okay, Doc?"

"Yes George, thank you. I'm just feeling a little off today."

He wheeled George out of the clinic and was headed back to his office when the phone rang. Harvey jumped at the sound. Why was he so nervous? He heard Maru's voice, frantic from the waiting room.

"Harvey, come quick! Grab your medical bag."

"Oh God, what's happened?" The knot in Harvey's stomach grew considerably, weighing heavily against his gut. His hands shook as he grabbed the bag from under his desk and walked quickly back out to the waiting room.

"That was Mayor Lewis. There's been an accident. I don't know the severity of the situation, but I'll track down Ella and let her know where you are."

"Don't bother, I doubt you'll be able to locate her. She went down the mines today."

"What?" Maru paled. "She-she's in the mines? She went down in her condition?"

"Yes. What's wrong? What condition?"

"Harvey. Mayor Lewis called because Marlon got a distress signal from the mines. Someone is in trouble down there. Really, really far down." It was like the ground went out from underneath him. Harvey was so light with frantic fear, that he felt he might float away. "And Harvey, she came to see me a few days ago. She asked for a pregnancy test. He turned and rushed from the clinic. He couldn't remember a time in his life when he had moved so fast. Trees whipped past him as he followed the river towards the mine.

" _I've actually got to talk to you about something."_ Why hadn't he just listened? If he'd known, he never would have let her down there. The dark entrance to the mine came into view and Mayor Lewis rushed up to meet him.

"Harvey! Someone's down the mine"-

"It's Ella." He couldn't hide the tremble in his voice. "What's wrong?"

"Ella?" Harvey nodded. "JojaCorp was doing some drilling nearby, I think it may have caused a cave-in. The read came from somewhere near a hundred floors down. The elevator won't go any lower than the 115th. It gets caught on some debris or something."

"Okay. I've got my medical bag. Who's going down there to get her?"

Marlon shuffled uneasily next to him. "We don't know."

"You don't _know_?"

"She's down further than I've ever been." He said quietly. Harvey took a look at the man's eye patch, bad leg and general old age and gave him a pass.

"And I don't know how safe it is to send more than one person down." Lewis added.

Harvey looked at the small crowd that had gathered. Alex was surely strong enough to fight off any monsters, but he had no medical experience. What if she needed immediate treatment? Haley was quite frankly useless, as was Elliot. No one seemed to be particularly eager to go either.

"Okay." Harvey heard himself say. "I'm going to need a weapon."

" _You're_ going?" Alex snickered. "Surely we can do better than that."

"She's my wife." Harvey snapped, surprising everyone. "I'm the only one here with medical experience and something far too valuable to lose. I don't see any of you volunteering, do I?"

Alex nodded. "Someone get him a weapon."

Marlon offered up his sword. It was an old blade, but sharp and – according to Marlon – reliable in a fight. Harvey gripped the helm tightly in one hand, the medical bag in the other, and stepped into the cave. Already he was shaking, and stepping into the elevator as it rattled and groaned just about made him faint. He shut the elevator door so he couldn't see the others anymore. Then he closed his eyes and thought about the best day of his life.

" _My God, you look like you're about to pass out." A voice sounded from behind him. His eyes shot open and he turned to see Ella, wearing her white wedding dress. She looked stunning, her hair fell in smooth curls. Someone had braided daisies into it._

" _Isn't it bad luck to see you in that before the wedding?"_

" _I don't believe in bad luck." She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek affectionately. "You seem awfully nervous though, and that has me nervous."_

" _It's good nervous." He smiled fleetingly. "I love you."_

" _I love you too, so why do you look like you're about to walk through the gates of hell and not down the aisle?"_

" _It's a big thing, marriage." He sighed. "I guess I'm just afraid to let you down. You know I'm not the youngest man in this valley by a long-shot. I'm not the most handsome, or the most interesting"-_

" _Harvey. I love you. You will never let me down, I know that. It's why I'm marrying you. Don't be afraid of failing me. You've got to"-_

"Have courage." He said, finishing her words and jolting out of his memory. "You've got to have courage." He took a deep breath and set the medical bag and the sword on the floor. He unlocked the lever that held the elevator in place started to crank the whole thing downwards.

Almost immediately, there was darkness. He couldn't see anything inside the cramped space. He could hear it rattling, and the sounds of his own fearful breathing. He was a man that had wanted desperately for most of his life to take to the skies, and now he was going in the opposite direction. The entire way down, all he did was crank the lever and pray that he found her alive down there. The elevator jerked to a halt and the doors screeched and sprung open.

He took a tentative step forwards. The level was dimly lit with torches. There wasn't much to it but a few stray boulders and a giant scary hole in the middle. From what he knew of Ella's time in the mines, the hole meant she'd been there, and she had gone lower. He could see down into the next level. Harvey tossed the sword and the medical bag through the floor ahead of him and grabbed hold of the shaky rope ladder. It squeaked and groaned in protest as he clumsily made his way down. The rope was old and worn and bit through his hands. He winced as he let go, surveying the tiny cuts on his palms.

When he looked up he noticed a pair of eyes glowering at him through the darkness. There was a wet, slopping sound and the creature emerged. It was a slime, he knew. Ella had often complained about them.

He scrambled to pick the sword up off the ground as the creature drew near to him. In one movement, it lunged, knocking him backwards as his fingers curled around the helm and he swung. The creature shrieked and Harvey realized he'd hit it. It leapt away, dripping slime as it did, shrinking in size until there was nothing remaining.

"Ella?" He called. Not a sound. He climbed to his feet and made his way through the dim cavern. He rounded a corner that was blocked off with dirt and rocks. The dust was unsettled, like the blockage had happened recently. It had been a cave-in then. JojaCorp was responsible for it. Their damn drilling operations. He turned back and found another passageway. There was no hole in the ground that he could see. It must have been behind the area that was walled up. He came across the elevator shaft.

Leaning carefully over the edge he called down. "Ella, are you there?"

Still, no sound came. He looked up, he couldn't see what was blocking the elevator. The shaft was too dark. He had an idea, and pulled a torch off the wall. At the shaft again, he lifted it to examine the area above him. The elevator was blocked off by some pieces of wood. It looked like it had once been a box or a barrel. It was surrounded by loose stones and gravel. If that was what was jamming it in place, he might be able to get it free.

How was he going to get that old chunk of wood out of the way? His eyes flickered to the torch in his hands. Gingerly he reached up and watched he flame lick at the edge of the wood. He was just tall enough to allow the flame to catch, but the wood must have been wet. All it did was smoke and spit at him. He needed an accelerant.

He knelt and dug through his medical bag until he produced hydrogen peroxide. Reaching up, he splashed as much of it on the wood as he could. He put the flame against it, and that time it caught.

"Yes!" He cried, watching the flame as it bore through the piece of wood. It gave him an oddly satisfied feeling. The elevator started to creak a bit, dirt shifted and rained down. It was as the final pieces fell away that Harvey remembered he hadn't put the lock down on the lever. He jolted away from the elevator shaft as the elevator itself went careening past him. He heard it smash to a halt down below. It hadn't gone too far. He was close to the bottom of the mine.

If the bottom was nearby, Ella must be too. Trailing behind the elevator was the strong length of cord that carried it safely up and down. Harvey tucked the sword and medical bag carefully under his arm, and reached out to grab the cord. He took a deep breath. She was close.

He stepped off the ground and, taking the cord in both hands, slid down. Immediately his hands started burning. He was clumsy, and slid in short uneven bursts until his feet hit the top of the metal elevator. It felt strong, still intact under his feet. Harvey knelt and felt around for a panel. He lifted the top of the elevator away and dropped down, going over on his ankle.

"Damn." He muttered, falling momentarily to his knees. When he looked up, he gasped. The entire floor was covered in dirt and debris. The 119th floor had fallen down on top of the 120th one by the look of things.

"Ella?" He called. No answer. The mounds of dirt and rock were so high in some places that he used one to climb up to a passage way that would have been on the 119th floor. She wasn't under the debris, he refused to believe it. His wife was clever enough to find a safe spot if everything started to fall in on itself. He followed the dark passage until it opened up into a bigger room. There were torches on the walls, and in the dim light he could make out a familiar pair of combat boots behind a pile of rocks.

"Ella!" He raced over, ignoring the pain in his ankle and knelt next to her. She wasn't moving. There was a trail of blood down the side of her face, still wet. He grabbed at her wrist and blinked back tears of relief when he found a pulse there, strong and steady. He reached into the medical bag and pulled out a bottle of water. Twisting it open with trembling hands, he poured it over her face. Her eyes flickered open.

"Harvey?" She blinked a few times in confusion and then her expression turned to panic. "Oh my God. Harvey, what are you doing down here? You have to get out"-

He practically crushed her against him in a fierce hug. She was still for a moment before wrapping her arms around him and returning it. "Thank God you're okay." He muttered. "What the hell happened?"

"I was on the 116th floor when the whole mine shook. The debris started raining down on me, I got knocked down and a few heavier things landed on my leg." She pulled up her jeans and revealed purple bruising around her ankle. "Marlon is constantly monitoring the mines from the Adventurer's Guild but I knew they couldn't get me from where I was. I had no choice but to keep going down further and further."

He checked her quickly for signs of concussion and found none. He wanted to ask if she'd received any blows to the abdomen, but decided against it. She seemed stressed enough. "When did you hit your head?"

"My head?" She reached up, feeling along her scalp. Her hands came away with blood. "Oh. I-I tripped and hit my head. I was moving as quickly as possible I"- Her hand shot out and grabbed his.

"What? What is it?"

"I was running from something. Harvey, we have to go. Now!"

At that moment Harvey heard something coming from the darkness. It had powerful, heavy footsteps. He got to his feet, Marlon's sword rattling in his hands. From the shadows emerged a black figure, huge and towering. It moved quickly towards him. Harvey lashed out, expecting the thing to fall back like the slime had, but the creature surged forwards. It swiped at him, catching his shoulder and sending him backwards into the ground. He heard Ella scream his name. The creature came forward and moved to slice at him again, but another sword caught the thing in the belly. It screeched and lunged for Ella. She limped backwards, brandishing her obsidian blade. She hit it twice more, but it was backing her into a corner. Harvey climbed to his feet, grabbed Marlon's sword and slashed at the creature again. It froze for a moment before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Harvey swore under his breath. "What the hell was that thing?"

"A Brute." Ella panted, rushing over to him. "Are you hurt?"

His shoulder stung, blood leaking from a gash there. "A little. It's not bad. Did he get you at all?"

She shook her head, leaning against him. "No. I don't think I can stand on this leg much longer, Harvey."

"Okay. That's okay. We can get our things and go."

He gathered up their bags and helped her limp back the way he'd come. When they came to the pile of debris he'd used to access the passageway, he handed her the bags and weapons and lifted her gently into his arms. He made his way down with excessive care, as though he was carrying a bunch of eggshells.

"Is that the elevator?"

"Yes."

"Are we at the last floor?"

"Yes."

She laughed at that. "You made it before I did."

"Not on purpose." He chuckled.

When they got in the elevator he set her down. He said a silent prayer to whoever might be listening that the elevator was still functional. It hadn't fallen that far, and they had both gone through enough. He turned the crank and the elevator shuddered and started upwards. He let out a sigh of relief.

"I can't believe you came all this way for me." She spoke so quietly Harvey hardly heard her. "I can't believe you did that. Weren't you afraid?"

"My Dear, I was absolutely petrified. I don't think I've been so afraid all my life."

"Me neither." She admitted. "I feel like I let you down today. I'm so sorry."

"Sorry?"

"I made you come all this way for me. You don't have any experience; you could have died! And all I could think about down there was that I was going to die and leave you all alone and I wouldn't have even gotten to tell you that"- Her voice broke and Harvey nearly broke with it. "Harvey"-

"You're pregnant. Maru told me when we got the call."

"I was." Ella sobbed. "I don't know anymore."

"Do you have any abdominal pain?" He asked, heart racing.

"No."

"Did you get a rush of blood down there, anything like that?"

"No."

"Then the baby might still be okay."

"But what if it isn't? Harvey I was so stupid and reckless today, what if I lost our baby?"

He frowned, locking the elevator in place and kneeling in front of her. "Losing that baby would not be letting me down. You came down here today to provide for it, and if I had just listened to you this morning, you wouldn't have been in this situation." He fought tears. "And as for me coming down here after you; Yes, it was terrifying and I was definitely in miles over my head. I probably would have died had you not been through first and killed off most of the monsters."

She laughed a little at that.

"But you are my wife and I would follow you anywhere. I could not have lived without you, it's as simple as that." She nodded. He kissed her forehead and stood, returning to the crank again. Soon, it ground to a halt and the doors sprung open. He gathered her up in his arms and stepped out into the night air. By then the entire town had gathered outside the mines, and the two were greeted with cheering and applause.

He carried her all the way back to the clinic. By the time he set her gently on the examining table he thought his arms were going to fall off.

"I need to work out some more." He muttered. "I'm wiped."

"Better up the aerobics classes." She teased.

He looked around, panicked.

"Relax, Maru didn't hear." She giggled. He gave a sigh of relief and started to treat her properly. Her ankle was badly bruised, but miraculously no worse than that. The cut on her head wasn't deep enough to need stitches. There wasn't really much to be done except check on the baby, they both knew that.

Still, in an attempt to prolong it he had Maru come and stitch up his shoulder. His own ankle was fine, sore, but nothing major. His hands were pretty scraped up, but the best she could do was offer him some ointment and bandages. He was surprised when Marnie appeared outside the door.

"Okay." Maru said, waving Marnie in. "Out you go, Doctor."

"What? Why?"

"Because we're taking care of your wife."

"But"-

"Don't you worry." Said Marnie, essentially forcing him out with her heavy-set frame. "We'll take excellent care of her."

Harvey plunked down tiredly in his own waiting room. He had prayed for a lot of things that day, and he'd received a lot of miracles, but he had to hope for one more. He had never even wanted to be a father. Well, it wasn't as though he didn't want to, he hadn't really given it much thought. Ella had brought it up a few times, he knew that she wanted kids. They were so early on into their marriage he hadn't bothered to discuss it thoroughly with her.

Truthfully, the idea of having kids scared him. He wasn't sure he was ready, but when he closed his eyes and pictured their children, an image sprung up immediately. A girl with Ella's blonde hair, a boy with his eyes. He pictured them running around the farm. He could see Ella, being so gentle and patient. He even saw himself teaching them to fly kites and use his radio. He wanted them so suddenly and so badly his head had started to ache.

His eyes were still squeezed shut when Ella took his hand. He looked up and searched her face. She was crying, and his heart sank for a moment. She took a deep breath, and smiled down at him.

"You ready to be a Dad?"

 **A/N: And that's it! I sat down and wrote this with the intention of it being a one-shot, but if you guys like it enough and ask enough I might be persuaded to do a short epilogue or another chapter.**

 **I was suddenly inspired to do this story and I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. I tried not to make it too sappy but these things happen sometimes.**

 **I've been having a bit of writer's block so being able to crank out SOMETHING in one sitting was incredibly uplifting for me. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own/am not affiliated with Stardew Valley.**

 **Just a QUICK note before you begin this: I honestly don't know what it is. It was meant to be a quick epilogue but something happened and now *spoiler* it's like 5,500 words. I'm calling it ~ a very convoluted glance into the future ~ because that's essentially what it is. (Sorry).**

* * *

Harvey awoke as he had for the last few months: jarring out of peaceful slumber as he nearly slipped off the side of the bed. He was being pushed further off every month by the growing lump. As he did every morning, he sighed contentedly and stood up to admire his sleeping wife. Ella had grown fond of the middle of the bed in her third trimester, and Harvey didn't mind waking up a little early because of it. Even if that meant having to catch himself every single morning. He had been through far worse, after all. It was also worth it, as he got a few private moments to simply look at her, which he rather enjoyed doing.

Pregnancy had not been easy on her – she liked to be active and independent – but she made the whole process look effortless and magical somehow. She was dressed in one of his oversized t-shirts and a pair of huge flowery shorts she'd borrowed from Marnie. She really did glow, he thought, her pale hair spread around her like a halo. She held her swollen belly in an enviable embrace. To Harvey, she looked perfectly angelic.

Although that would certainly change if she woke up and there was nothing to eat. Eggs had been out of the question since trimester two, and she'd decided against drinking coffee. Instead, he changed and shuffled tiredly out to the kitchen to prepare toast with jam, some hash browns, and a pot of tea. She insisted that the hash browns really sold it for the baby, but he suspected a purely selfish motivation.

He was nearly complete when he heard a quiet yawn and the distinct shuffling of stockinged feed sliding across the floor behind him. He turned and offered her a plate of breakfast, giving her an affectionate peck on the forehead as he did so.

"Thank you Harvey, it looks delicious." She sighed, taking it, and moving to sit at the table. Hunger was evident on her face. She'd had an insatiable appetite the past few days. He smiled, noticing her bright red woolen socks. She had tried her hand at knitting in order to keep herself entertained on days she was especially exhausted. She had made them each some socks. When her feet had grown slightly, she'd commandeered his pair, and she wore them to bed almost every night.

"I see you're still holding my socks captive."

She grinned apologetically, mouth already stuffed with hash brown. "They keep my feet warm."

"They used to keep _my_ feet warm."

"I'll knit you a new pair."

"Nonsense, you're far too busy knitting yellow baby hats and little sweaters."

"Cardigans." She corrected. "And you didn't complain when I knit a little pilot hat. Anyways, maybe I'll knit a new pair of socks. Or more baby stuff. I have quite a lot of energy today."

"I'm glad to hear it." He plunked down across from her with his own bowl of oatmeal and mug of coffee. "I don't see the point of knitting things for the baby if you don't know the gender."

To his horror, Ella had decided that the baby's gender would be a fun surprise. The idea delighted many around town, but terrified Harvey. He felt severely underprepared for either occasion. He'd figured he would have nine months to ready himself for a girl or a boy, and she'd effectively robbed him of vital prep time.

"Colour doesn't determine gender." She scoffed into her green tea. "Plus I have to do _something_. I'm useless on the farm right now."

"You could knit me some new socks."

She shoved him playfully from across the table and opened her mouth – presumably to tell him to stop being a brat – but changed her mind and decided to fill it with hash browns instead. They continued to eat in a comfortable silence. Ella devoured her food at an alarming rate and looked at him, lips pursed.

He sighed and slid her his half-eaten bowl of oatmeal.

"Sorry." She murmured.

"It's perfectly all right, my darling." He chuckled, watching her wolf down his breakfast. "You need it more than I do."

She stood, taking her dishes and dumping them in the sink. "I wasn't joking about all this energy I have today though. It's sort of sprung up out of nowhere. What needs to get done today? I feel as though I could manage a few extra farm tasks." She strode over, hands on her hips, and parked herself next to him.

"Well Shane's been having trouble with the cows. I think they miss you. Do what you can, don't push yourself."

"I won't. Me and Bump here are going to get it done." She gestured to her grown stomach and Harvey smiled, reaching out to touch it.

"All right. Good luck to you and Bump then." He pressed his lips to her swollen belly. He pulled back, expecting her to head immediately outdoors, but she was frowning. She'd frozen in place.

"Ella? What's wrong?"

"Um. Harvey?" She braced a hand on his shoulder. "My water just broke."

His eyes flickered to the space between her thighs where a clear liquid had begun to trickle down. For a moment, he couldn't move, he couldn't speak. Bump had been coming for a long time, he knew that, but he didn't feel ready.

"Harvey?" He was drawn back by the nervous tone in her voice. Of course, she was probably just as scared as he was.

"Okay." He said, getting to his feet. "I'll phone Marnie. Did you ever decide if you wanted to go to the clinic or stay here?"

"Clinic." She said. "Just to be safe."

He nodded and left her side momentarily to dial Marnie's ranch with shaking fingers. She answered on the third ring.

"Hello?"

The sentence tumbled out of him. "Marnie, it's Harvey. Ella's going into labour, we'll meet you at the clinic."

"I'll be right there. And Harvey?"

"Yes?"

"Take a deep breath or something, she's going to need you to be calm. Don't spook her." It was evident from the final bit that Marnie was much more used to birthing cattle.

"Okay." He hung up. He could do that, couldn't he? Stay calm? Ella let out a small moan behind him and he nearly jumped out of his skin. "Are you all right? What was that? Everything okay?"

"Contraction." She hissed. "Bump's moving quickly."

"Then we shall have to double our pace." He said, with forced authority and confidence. Wrapping an arm around her tiny shoulders, he led her out of the farmhouse and into the cool morning air. September was upon Stardew Valley, bringing with it a heavy chill that settled comfortably across town and had no intention of leaving.

They made their way unbearably slowly to the clinic, Ella having another contraction along the way. Between breaths she asked, "Are you excited?"

"Y-yes."

"Harvey." She murmured, as they resumed their trek. "You're going to be great, you know that right?"

"I hope so." He muttered in reply.

When they finally reached the clinic doors Marnie burst out to meet them, practically yanking Ella out of his grasp and escorting her to the back room.

"Don't come back until I tell you to, Doc. I'll prep her." She snipped, and Harvey did as he was told. Marnie was asking Ella a million questions a minute, and Harvey wondered why she hadn't taken a few deep breaths of her own.

"Harvey." He hadn't noticed Maru at the desk. She adjusted her glasses and grinned widely at him. "Big day, huh?"

He smiled. "Yes." It wavered. When Ella had realized the baby was safe and continuing to grow, she'd written to her parents who'd responded with plenty of advice and congratulations. Harvey didn't have anyone to send off to, anyone to turn to for guidance. His parents were long gone. They had been since he'd gone off to medical school. But just on time, as it had done for him before, the universe provided a miracle.

"I have a letter for you. Arrived this morning." Maru said, "Although you might be busy."

"What is it? A bill?"

"No," She laughed, "Don't look so frightened. It looks hand-written. Personal. Expecting something?"

He shook his head. She handed him the crème coloured envelope and disappeared into the back room. The hand-writing looked familiar to him, although he couldn't quite discern why. It was addressed to him, but Harvey thought it must be a mistake. He opened it.

 _Dear Son,_

 _I know we have not formally met, but Ella has told us enough about you in her letters that we feel we know you personally._

Harvey gulped. Son? This was from Ella's parents. They called him Son?

 _We expect the baby will arrive soon, and Ella mentioned you might be experiencing a bit of nerves at the prospect of being a father. We have written exclusively to you, to offer up as much parental wisdom as we can. Although, with Ella we got very lucky. She was independent from a young age and as soon as she could walk and talk, we hardly had to do any major parenting at all._

He chuckled at that. It seemed fitting.

 _Always have patience, always trust your instincts, and be brave. Parenting requires a lot of trust in each other, a lot of faith. We know that our Ella would not have married you if she didn't think you were capable of being a great father. Remember that._

 _Love,_

 _Mom and Dad_

He fought back a wave of emotion and tucked the letter into his jacket pocket. They could not have possibly known what the letter would mean to him, or that it would arrive when he needed it the most.

"Come in Doc!" Marnie hollered. He took a deep breath and strode into the back room.

Ella's hair was tied back in a strangled bun on top of her head. Her face was flushed and she looked at him with a mixture of excitement, fear and pain. He felt similarly, minus the pain. He stroked her forehead gently and she leaned into his touch.

"Are you ready to meet our little Bump?" She asked.

"Ready." He said.

It was a blissfully short labour, according to Marnie. She deemed Ella a natural. Quick, it may have been, but Harvey wouldn't have described it as an easy one. His hand by the end of it was practically mangled from all her squeezing. In the same way it was difficult, it was also somewhat miraculous. The situation united them. They had worked through her panicked moments together.

"I can't push anymore." She rasped. "I can't."

"Take a moment, catch your breath." He said, grabbing a cloth, and wiping the sweat from her forehead. "We are so close now. So close."

He'd been afraid to see Ella in so much pain, but she held on to him with tears streaming down her face, lip caught determinedly between her teeth, and soldiered on. With one final push it was over, and the baby screamed to life. Harvey beamed down at his wife.

"You did it."

She panted and grinned up at him. Maru had removed the baby to clean it as it screeched and flailed.

"What is it?" Ella asked, breathless. "Girl or boy?"

"Girl!" Marnie shrieked, competing with the baby's wailing. "It's a girl!"

Ella squeezed at his hand and looked up at him with wonder. A pleasant chill ran down his spine, his heart fluttered with excitement. A girl.

Maru passed the screaming bundle to Ella. Immediately, the baby quieted down. She opened her big blue eyes and stared right at her mother.

"Oh Harvey." Ella gushed. "Look at her."

The baby had a few wisps of pale brown hair. It would probably darken as she grew, into his colour. To think that she walk part of him and a part of Ella was astonishing and magical in a way. Ella met his eyes and they stared at each other in wonder.

"What should we name her?" She asked in a whisper. "I don't think we tossed any ideas around."

"What's your mother's name?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Mary. Yours?"

"Margaret. She always hated it. Preferred Margo instead." Ella's eyes lit up.

"Margo is lovely."

A lump formed in his throat. He'd always privately liked it, although hadn't realized it until it was the prospecting name of the little bundle in front of him. "Do you think so?"

"Yes, if you like it."

"I do."

"Then Margo it is." She smiled and looked back down at the baby, already dozing off. Harvey had of course seen a baby before, but never one so perfect. Her hands were so small, with tiny pink fingers and nails, but strong – he would soon learn.

Her eyes were her mother's soft shade of blue, and would remain that way as she grew up. She kept her hair – Harvey's shade of wavy chocolate brown – cropped at her shoulders. She had her mother's restless spirit and her father's love of the sky.

She was followed in two years by a brother, Oliver, and three years after that a sister named Claudia. They were quite the family, tightly-knit and full of love. Their life was peaceful, quiet, and fatherhood – as Harvey discovered – was more uniquely fulfilling than he could have possibly imagined. He relished every single moment with them, and the years flew by like clockwork. His hair started to grey. His face developed weather and wrinkles. Ella seemed to hardly age at all, unless you looked closely at the way her eyes crinkled at the corners and the occasional white strand of hair.

The farm grew exponentially over the years, especially with the help of the children. It was not only prosperous, but Ella had taken great care to turn her grandfather's land into something beautiful as well. He admired the vast rows of flowers and fruit trees that shaded the walk up to the property. He was sad they'd be dying out soon to make way for winter. Despite his wretched allergies, he loved the colour they provided. He sighed and continued his way home.

Margo and Claudia were lounging on the porch as he approached the house, tired from the day's work. Margo was wearing a pair of pilot goggles on her head that she must have found – and confiscated – from his things. Claudia's thin frame was draped dramatically over a chair, long blonde hair trailing down nearly to the ground as she read.

"Am I ever going to get those back?" He asked, drawing them both from their books. Margo gestured to the goggles on her head and he nodded.

"Nope. I quite like them."

He sighed. "Just as well. They look much better on you. Where's your mother?"

"Out with Oli in the fields." Claudia said. "Do you think I would make a good Ophelia?" She waved her mother's tattered copy of Hamlet in his view. Margo rolled her eyes and got up from her chair.

"A modest part with a tragic and dismissive death? I think you could do much better, darling." He noticed Margo slinking away. "Where are you headed?"

"Where do you think?" She gave him a sly grin. "Anyways it's not me you should be concerned about." She jabbed a thumb back at her sister, who had climbed over the porch railing and was making a beeline for the hills.

Harvey turned back to Margo, but she had taken advantage of his broken attention and vanished. He sighed, he knew her destination anyways. Maru told him she would often go up into his old apartment, his old radios could be heard crackling to life. She was very much her father's daughter.

In the same way, Oliver had his mother's temperament and hard-working attitude.

Claudia, however, was a bit of a wild card.

"Claudia Evelyn. Where are you going?"

She flinched and wheeled, giving him a sweet smile that very nearly sugared him into blind submission. "Just up to the hills, Papa. To press flowers."

"Is that so?" She nodded, still smiling, rocking gently on her heels – a sure sign she was lying. "Because I thought you might be running out to see that Preston boy. The train will get in soon, won't it? He pulled his pocket watch out and gave it a leisurely glance.

Her temper immediately changed at having been caught. "I'm old enough to make my own decisions." She crossed her arms and blew a strand of pale hair out of her eyes. She had inherited her mother's stubbornness, much to his chagrin, and she used it mostly in those types of situations. "You can't keep me from seeing Preston." She turned and started to march off again.

"No." He said, calmly. "But I could go with you."

She stopped. "What?"

"If you're going to be spending so much time with this boy, I'd rather like to meet him. I have so many embarrassing stories I could tell him, so many ways to potentially humiliate you."

He thought she might stomp her foot and begin to throw a famous Claudia tantrum as per usual. Instead, she turned and took a deep breath. "What are your demands?"

He was momentarily taken aback, but didn't let it show. Suddenly, there was a very mature air about her and he didn't want her to know it had shocked him. "My demands. Yes." Ella came up behind him and brushed her hand with his. He turned to give her a quick smile. "For starters, if you're going to meet with him I'd rather you do it here, where we can keep an eye on him."

"I want to meet him." Ella said.

"Fine. But no stories." Claudia gave them both a hard stare.

"No stories." Ella chuckled. "Not yet, anyways."

"No being alone in your bedroom." Harvey pressed on, ignoring the roll of his youngest daughter's honey-brown eyes. "No trips to the city without one of us or one of your siblings."

"No thanks." Oliver scoffed, arriving from behind them. He ran a hand through deep chestnut hair and laughed at his little sister. "I won't be chaperoning."

"Anything else?" Claudia asked, poking her tongue out at Oliver.

"I don't know." Harvey faltered. "No… kissing?"

She giggled, which he'd desperately been hoping for. "Can I barter that one if I have a touch of gossip for you?"

"My darling Claudia, you know I'm not fond of gossip."

"It's about precious Margo."

"Claudia." Oliver hissed. Him and Margo were especially close, and shared the same calm temperament. Whereas Claudia liked to stir things a little.

"Oh come on Oli. If they're going to pester me about Preston it's only fair."

Harvey was at a loss.

"Well. Let's hear it first." Ella sighed.

"I went up to your old apartment Dad, to ask her opinion on a dress for the Flower Dance – which Preston will almost definitely be asking me to, by the way – and I heard her talking to someone on the radio."

"She made contact with a pilot?" Harvey asked. "I only managed that a few times."

"She did." The girl beamed.

"Claudia." Oliver grumbled again. "Just leave it."

But Claudia continued, rather enjoying being the center of attention. "A young pilot. They talk all the time. It's quite the affair. He doesn't live far actually. They've been sending letters with pictures of each other and whatnot. He's been talking about coming to the valley to meet her one of these days." Harvey's heart nearly stopped. He swallowed thickly. "Can you imagine? They haven't even met in person and already exchanging love letters and talking about the future and"-

That did it. Harvey stalked off in the direction of the clinic. Ella shouted after him, but he ignored it. He wasn't really certain how he felt about the matter entirely. He knew that he was definitely a little snubbed she hadn't mentioned it to him. They shared almost every secret. To have been left out of such a big part of her life was difficult.

He marched right past Maru without so much as a hello and carefully climbed the stairs. He could faintly hear Margo's voice.

"Uh. W-when would you like to come down? Oh. Well isn't that a bit soon? Nervous? No I-I'm not"- She took a deep, shaking breath. "Alright Tom I'm a little nervous. _Why_ should I be nervous? Why _shouldn't_ I be? Yes I'm aware that's an extremely evasive answer. Yes. That was sort of the point."

Harvey wondered if he should really be eavesdropping. It sounded like a personal conversation. But he couldn't help himself. He was a concerned father. That made it okay. Right?

"Come on Tom. I'm nervous because – well – what if you don't like me in person?" Harvey's heart nearly broke in two at that. He'd never heard her sound so uncertain, so afraid. "I know you've seen my picture. Stop it, you're exaggerating. My eyes aren't that nice in person. It's an over-flattering picture. I've tricked you. It's not even me. That's a picture of my attractive neighbour. All this time I've been a woman in her sixties. Quiet, I'm hilarious. Honestly though, what if I'm a huge disappointment? Haha, yes. We'll both have wasted quite a lot on postage, won't we?"

Harvey pushed the door open. He felt he'd listened enough. Any more would be too invasive.

She spun around in her chair, jaw dropping open.

"Dad. Hey. I-I didn't hear you." She ripped off the headphones. "I was just"-

She must have seen on his face that he knew, because she stopped. Catching her lip between her teeth, she appeared to think for a long time before flicking the audio switch on his old radio and taking a deep breath.

"Uh Tom?"

"Yes?" Came the male voice on the other end.

"Say hi to my Dad."

"Hello Harvey! M's told me so much about you." He chuckled. "I wish I could meet you properly in person."

Harvey was too distracted by the fact he called her M to speak for a moment. It suited her, of course. The boy had a friendly, happy kind of voice. He liked that. Slowly, he stepped up to the microphone and leaned in. "Hello. Tom, is it?"

"Yessir."

"Tom are you flying while you two have this conversation?"

"No, sir. That was only the first few times we talked. We communicate between radios now. I'm at the flight tower a few towns over. Turns out on the right channel, we can just barely reach each other."

"With the occasional interference from a terrible self-help radio station." Margo piped up.

"It's not very helpful." Tom agreed.

"Well I-I'd love to meet you Tom." Harvey said.

"Likewise. I think I'll come down in the next few weeks, if that's all right with you."

"Of course."

There was a pause, the radio crackled. Margo spoke first.

"Tom I have to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow? Regular time?"

"Can't wait. Over and out."

Harvey turned to his daughter. She met his gaze with a look of guilt. "Dad, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. When I realized it had become something significant, it seemed too late." She sighed. "I didn't think things would get this far, honestly. I definitely never thought he'd be visiting. But I really l-like him."

"I have to admit, I was a little hurt. I haven't felt left out since high school." He chuckled.

"I'm sorry."

"And when your sister told me"-

"Damn it, Claudia." She muttered.

"I nearly had a heart attack." He laughed again. "Secret relationships are more Claudia's specialty."

"I know." Margo said quietly, toying with a strand of her hair. "It wasn't supposed to be a secret."

"Why not tell me right off the bat?"

"I didn't think it was anything. I didn't"-

"You didn't think he liked you."

She looked up at him, eyes watering slightly. She swiped at them and tsked. "Yeah."

"What's not to like?" Margo smiled at that.

"Well, I'm no Claudia. That's for sure."

"Thank goodness." He was rewarded with a bark of laughter, strikingly similar to her mother's.

"You know what I mean. She's gorgeous, Dad. Probably too pretty for her own good."

Harvey took a moment to look at Margo. He did often find himself staring at his children, observing them. He'd had twenty-one years with Margo and was still floored that she was his child. He was mesmerized by the very idea that she could sit before him, her own active and living mind, yet still a piece of him. Her insecurities were his, of course, and he felt terrible for her having inherited them. Margo seemed unaware of her own beauty. She was lovely in a classic and timeless way, like Ella. As much as he wanted to say that to her, he held back. Ella had always reminded him to be careful with girls, especially in their youth. Beauty wasn't to be rewarded, but character.

"This boy has fallen in love with you"-

"He likes me! We haven't said that word yet!"

"Whatever. This boy likes you, and he hasn't met you in person. What does that say, do you think?" She bit her lip again. "Do you like him for how he looks?"

"Of course not."

"There you are then. He likes your personality and the sound of your voice before your appearance. He's head over heels and he's only seen a photograph. Imagine how he'll react when he sees you in person at that ridiculous flower dance."

"The flower"- Her eyes brightened - You think I should invite him?"

"Yes. I can keep an eye on him and Preston."

"It will probably help that I have to dress up for the occasion."

"I expect he'll propose on the spot."

She whacked him gently on the arm, laughing. Then her expression turned sinister. "So he doesn't need your permission first?"

"Oh, don't you start. You'll give your poor Dad a heart-attack."

* * *

As it turned out, Tom did not immediately propose to Margo at the flower dance, much to Harvey's relief. In fact, the young man was annoyingly agreeable. Ella absolutely adored him, and they had him down to the valley almost every weekend. He quickly became part of the family. He spent a lot of time playing gridball with Oliver. He took Margo up into the sky in a plane. He even allowed himself to be roped into building a set for Claudia's school play.

Tom _did_ propose to Margo two years later, with Harvey and Ella's blessing. They planned an outdoor wedding, in the Spring. Ella and Claudia were content to oversee most of the decorations. Margo wanted a small ceremony, just a few of the townspeople and both close families. Tom, having no brothers of his own, had asked Oliver to be his best man.

"You look sharp in that suit, Oli." Harvey chuckled.

"I'm glad Tom had a spare laying around, otherwise I would have had to wear one of your old ones." The boy grinned, fiddling with his tie. He was nearly a foot taller than Harvey, and built far more athletically. Not only would one of his father's old suits been out of style, it was likely the boy would have burst right out of it.

"Thank goodness for Tom." Harvey sighed.

"You nervous?" Oli asked, bumping against him teasingly.

"Well _I'm_ not getting married."

"No. But your first daughter is. That must be a bit daunting for you, having to walk her down the aisle."

"It does make me feel very old, I'll admit. But I'm feeling more allergic than anything else. Your mother and sister went a little heavy with the flowers."

Indeed they had. The land near Marnie's ranch was covered in flowers. They hung in pots from tree branches, snaked up the back of the white chairs, clung to the arch where Tom was bouncing eagerly on his heels. He nodded excitedly at Harvey, and gestured to Oliver.

"I guess that means I should go up. We must be starting soon." Oliver took a deep breath, adjusted his tie one last time, and went up to the arch to stand with the groom. Harvey scanned his surroundings. Despite being over-pollenated, he had to admit it was a beautiful wedding. Everyone close to the bride and groom were parked in chairs, looking happy and excited. Claudia was missing, but that was no surprise. She had been hiding away for days preparing what she called 'the best maid-of-honour toast/speech/song/one-act play'. He expected she was putting the final touches on a costume of some variety. Harvey felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Ella.

"The bride needs you."

"Me? Is she ready?"

Ella exhaled. "Um. Not quite yet."

He frowned, but let her lead him into Marnie's ranch and into Jas' old bedroom. It had been relieved of her toys and things years ago, and had been transformed into a sophisticated guest bedroom for when she visited from the city. Margo was wearing her wedding dress, staring out the window with her back to him. Ella left, closing the door behind her. The sound caused Margo to turn.

"Dad."

"Hey kiddo. Ready?"

"Uh. I just need a minute." She was shaking so much he could see it across the room.

"Is my brave little bird nervous?"

"No." She snapped. "Oh God, sorry. That came out wrong."

"It's okay to be nervous."

"It is?" She looked so small and fragile at that moment that he crossed the room and crushed her against him in a tight hug.

"I was nervous when I married your Mum. She had to talk me down."

She laughed. "I think I've heard that story. At least a million times or so."

"And do you know what she told me?" He pulled back, holding her face in his hands.

Margo rolled her eyes. "Believe me, I know."

"And I realized if I wanted to land your mother for the rest of my life, I was going to have to fight my fear of letting her down and losing her. And I had to walk down the aisle."

"And follow her into a dangerous cave."

"The first one was far more frightening."

She shook her head, grinning. "For you it was worth it. You two are adorable. Perfect soulmates. What if it's different for Tom and I?"

"Okay." He felt like a professor trying to piece together a student's extremely difficult question. He had to put it in a way she would understand. "You love him?"

"Yes."

"And you want to marry him?"

"Yes."

"So why would you throw that away out of the fear it could bite you later?" A little flicker danced in her eyes, a near-recognition that was so promising his heart rate sped a little. "Life is too short not to marry your mother, or to marry Tom. It was too short not to go down a cave and try to find her either."

"You're saying to swallow my worries now? And go for what I want?"

"Exactly."

"Even if I let him down in the future?"

"Tom doesn't believe you'll let him down."

"How do you know?"

"He's marrying you, isn't he?" Harvey beamed down at her. "He knew what he was getting into."

"He got a little more than he was bargaining for." She laughed, hand flying to her stomach.

He frowned. "What does that mean?"

Her eyes widened. "Nothing. You've calmed my jitters. I'm ready now." She gave him a peck on the cheek. "Thank you, Dad."

"You didn't need me, not really." He held out his arm and they stepped out of Marnie's and into the fall air, following the trail of flower petals Claudia had carefully cast out. "You've always been much braver than I have. Although you were far more of a flight risk." He gave her a cheeky wink.

"Oh God. Seriously?" She stifled a laugh as they walked slowly down the aisle. "A Dad joke, right now?"

All eyes turned to them as the wedding march began. Harvey looked at Tom, whose jaw dropped slightly when he saw her. He blinked a few times, as if trying to discern whether or not she was a dream. As they neared the young man, he looked nothing short of positively blissful. He felt Margo tense.

"Courage, my little bird." He whispered, and let go of her. "You've got to have courage."

FIN.

* * *

 **Uhhhh. I don't know why I wrote this? I don't know how this cute little epilogue turned into like twenty-something years in the future at Margo's wedding? I don't know anything? It was only supposed to be the birth of the first child, I swear, but then I couldn't stop writing. And now that it's done I'm extremely conflicted for the following reasons:**

 **1) This is so convoluted and unnecessary that do I even post it? 2) Will you guys even like it?**

 **I can't just let it sit here on my desktop and rot until my hard drive dies. I'm weirdly into it?**

 **So I guess let me know what you think because I don't know how/why this happened. I got a little into the image of the daughter growing up. And then I was like "she can't be an only child that's BORING" and then it escalated into THIS THING.**

 **And now I'm rambling for an additional hundred or so words which is not intentional either and I'm SORRY.**

 **Thanks to all of you who reviewed the original chapter and said such lovely things! I agree there is definitely not a enough Harvey love around these parts. I adore him. He's probably the least problematic bachelor.**

 **Please review this thing – whatever it is. I really did enjoy writing it.**

 **Happy New Year!**

 **-Amelia**


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